Dan Cloutier pauses to consider career options after Red Wings' cut

The Red Wings released Dan Cloutier from his try-out contract on Thursday, and he spoke to ESPN's Pierre LeBrun about his post-Detroit options, and the impression he made upon the Wings' management, on Friday afternoon:

September 26, ESPN: You might think Dan Cloutier's comeback attempt ended Thursday when the Detroit Red Wings cut him, but he feels quite the opposite. His tryout with the Wings proved to him that he could still compete in goal at the NHL level after missing most of two years with hip problems that have required a few surgeries.

"I wasn't sure going into this camp, to be honest with you," Cloutier
told ESPN.com on Friday. "I was injured for the past three years. But
after this camp, I feel great both physically and mentally. I've got
that fire again."

He knew the odds of making the Wings.

"I've been around, I know how it works. I knew everybody was under
contract and it would be difficult to make the team," Cloutier said. "I
just wanted to go there and see if I still had it and see how my body
would react for a training camp. It's one thing to work out two or
three times a week, but this was a real test. The last six or seven
days, I felt really good. I got an opportunity to play half a game in
New York, and I did well [he didn't allow a goal]. And I surprisingly
felt good."

But Wings GM Ken Holland still had to cut him. Jimmy Howard is under
contract, and it was always the plan for him to back up Chris Osgood
this season. Still, Holland told ESPN.com via e-mail Friday that
Cloutier "got better as it went along. He looked pretty good."

"I had a meeting with Kenny, and he said, 'You surprised us, the second
half of the camp, you were real good,'" Cloutier said. "'The guys like
you, and the coaching staff like the way you compete. But it's just a
numbers game.'"

Regarding his future options?

"There's a few teams in Europe that want to see what decision I will
make," he said. "But at the same time, once you sign in Europe, you're
kind of finished in terms of coming back to the NHL [this season]. So I
spoke to my agent, and he suggested I take a few days to think it over.
I've got a 20-month-old daughter and maybe you don't want to move
across the world to play hockey. I don't know. I've got to think about
it the next few days and do what's best."